


You Will Be My Love And My Life

by witchesmortuary



Series: Gone But Not Forgotten [1]
Category: Chilling Adventures of Sabrina (TV 2018)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Death Fic, F/F, Mary dies in Zelda's arms, get your tissues ready y'all, literally angst with fluff and pain, this is a death fic i am sorry y'all
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-13
Updated: 2020-05-13
Packaged: 2021-03-02 18:00:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,440
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24160948
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/witchesmortuary/pseuds/witchesmortuary
Summary: ``I always held it against them, that she was so easily breakable and you know what my brother said? He said to me, 'if she breaks, then I will be there with her until her last breath. I will devote my life to her because I love her.' And back then I didn't understand. Why would someone wanna witness their loved one slowly breaking apart in front of them? But now I understand, it's because of love.´´(Major Character Death y'all)
Relationships: Zelda Spellman/Mary Wardwell | Madam Satan | Lilith
Series: Gone But Not Forgotten [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1853233
Comments: 21
Kudos: 53





	You Will Be My Love And My Life

**Author's Note:**

> Now you might be wondering WHAT THE FUCK and honestly I am asking myself the same thing. I wrote this from 3 am to like 4.30 am and the tears I shed were a lot. I plan on extending it with one additional piece, with memories of them. So for example, their travels and stuff like that, tell me what you think about that idea. :)
> 
> Title is from ''My Love, My Life'' by Abba.

When Zelda had first started dating Mary Wardwell, the fact that the other woman was mortal gnawed on her. She would give the other woman reasons to push away, end it just so Zelda wouldn't have to watch the woman she loved dearly slowly but surely age while she had hundreds of years left.

Over the years, they started to forget mortality. Even as Mary slowly started to grey, Zelda would brush her hair every evening and kiss her head before leading her to bed. And for every feeling of pain, Mary would be given a potion with the words  _ It'll make the pain go away. _

Hilda was the first to realize that something was wrong. Every time she found a blood-soaked tissue in the bin, she frowned and when she caught Mary coughing, clutching a tissue to her mouth she was there to keep her steady.

The blonde witch was also the one to accompany her to the doctor. While they sat in the waiting area, Hilda turned to the retired teacher and said: "You need to tell her, Mary."

Wide, fearful, blue eyes met hers and she shook her head. "I-I can't. Not yet. It's going to break her, Hilda." she exclaimed, immediately shrinking back into herself again when several people looked at her.

Hilda laid a hand on the other woman's hand. "It's going to break her nonetheless." she explained, sympathy splayed all over her face.

Just as the brunette was about to answer, her name was called and cold fear took hold of her.  _ It's nothing bad. Just an infection. Don't worry too much. _ she repeated in her head as she made her way to the examination room.

When she exited the Doctor's room, tears had already started to form. Hilda was immediately by her side, thanking the sisters and bringing her home.

Just as they were about to drive onto the path to the Spellman Home did Mary speak. "She thinks I have...I have cancer. We made tests and she's...she's gonna call later this week." Mary's voice was hoarse, she coughed and swallowed. "I can't have cancer, Hilda. I..I don't even smoke. I never smoked a single cigarette in my entire life even when I was tempted." she added with a whisper and buried her face in her hands.

They went to the Doctor on Monday and the confirmation came on Friday.

Zelda was at the academy and when Mary got the call, she started sobbing, not caring that Hilda might hear, or Ambrose. She slid down the wall, the phone just hung there dangling without anyone on the line.

_ It is God's way of punishing you.  _ a small voice in the back of her mind said which sounded an awful lot like her mother and the sobbing worsened when Hilda took her in her arms and held her tightly.

And that's how Sabrina found them, on the floor, Mary crying and the phone still not hung up. She was told one of Mary's childhood friends had died and the girl didn't question it any further.

When dinner rolled around, Mary was her usual giddy but reserved self, sitting by Zelda's side and listening to her talk. Neither Mary nor Hilda said anything.

"Do you know when the funeral is?" Sabrina broke the comfortable silence and made everyone look at her.

"Funeral? What Funeral? Who died?" Zelda immediately asked with wide eyes. She felt Mary tense beside her and looked at her girlfriend. "Darling?" she inquired.

Mary swallowed. "A...A close friend of mine. I got the call today. Threw me off a little bit but uh..they haven't set a date yet. In the next 4 weeks probably." she explained, with a calmness she hadn't expected. Her eyes were fixed on her barely touched plate. "They said I can come if I want. I...I don't think I am going though." the brunette added.

Zelda frowned. "My condolences but you can go alone if you want. I am sure by now you know how a funeral is held." she said, hinting at Mary helping every now and then when there was help needed. "I can drive you and pick you up." Zelda rose from her seat, pressing a kiss on Mary's head. "And eat at least something, dear. You already lost quite a bit of weight the past few weeks." she insisted and gave her shoulder a light squeeze before leaving the room.

Mary started to feel guilty. Weeks have passed and she still hadn't told the witch about the cancer and the more she pushed the thought away, the more did she start to dread it.  _ What if she is going to leave you because she doesn't want to live with that burden? She told you several times that you would die anyway.  _ that little voice said and she cringed at herself. She did tell Mary that, had warned her on several occasions.

Mary knew that Zelda would catch on at some point, notice how weak she'd gotten, how little she ate and how little she slept but when the witch did approach her it felt like it was too soon.

They were in the living room alone, Mary's feet draped over Zelda's lap and Zelda's hand on her ankle, drawing patterns.

"What's wrong?" Zelda asked suddenly, looking up from her book when Mary coughed for the fifth time in 30 minutes and attempted to pull away, curl up.

"N-Nothing. Just a- Just a cold." talking hurt and all she wanted to do was curl up into a ball and not move, not talk, not-

"Cut the crap, Mary. I know that something is up. And I know Hilda knows. You haven't been eating properly for weeks! You cough all the time, you lost a lot of weight! You flinch when I touch you! Why won't you talk to me, for Hecate's sake!?" she pleaded, her book thrown on the table.

Mary flinched, clutching her tissue tightly and she heard her lungs rustling like chains.  _ Tell her! She can help! She'll be there, _ a different voice, Hilda, insisted and she bit her inner cheek.

"Promise you won't flip?" she asked and after receiving a confused nod she sat up, her legs pulled under her and she stared at her hands in her lap. "I have cancer. L-Lung cancer." she blurted out, not raising her head.

For several minutes she didn't receive an answer and she thought Zelda had left when a pair of green glassy eyes appeared in her vision. "H-How long?" she asked, her voice barely over a whisper.

"Almost a month. The doctor says, with the speed that it's growing I might have half a year left. It's too far gone to do anything." she explained with a shaking voice and she let out a sob, her eyes squeezing shut as slender arms wrapped around her, pulled her down with her and just held her.

Both women cried until there was nothing left to cry and Mary had to cough, pressing the tissue to her mouth. A soft hand caressed her back and neck. "It's alright. I'm here." Zelda whispered into her ear, still holding her. "I'll be here until the end. I promise."

Later that week, they told Ambrose and Sabrina. Sabrina didn't believe it, refused to believe it. "You can't die. That's...that's impossible! We won't let you die, right Aunties? Ambrose?" but all three just smiled sadly and Mary had to fight the urge not to cry.

Hilda was the one to speak. "We could help, I am sure but Mary doesn't want to. I tried talking to her the moment she told me." she explained as calm as possible, rubbing her niece's arms. "But we will be here every step. And we will be there when it's time."

Zelda tried it all. Praying to Hecate, offering a sacrifice, an exchange but no response, no sign and it drove her almost insane. She wanted to help, if only it meant making it easier for her girlfriend.

One Evening they were sitting in front of Zelda's vanity and the redhead was softly brushing Mary's hair. "You know once, a long time ago, my brother came home with a mortal on his arm. She was a young thing, not older than twenty and I almost drove the family apart with my beliefs. I always held it against them, that she was so easily breakable and you know what my brother said? He said to me, 'if she breaks, then I will be there with her until her last breath. I will devote my life to her because I love her.' And back then I didn't understand. Why would someone wanna witness their loved one slowly breaking apart in front of them? But now I understand, it's because of love. If you love someone so dearly, you'll help them through anything no matter the cost." she said, tears silently falling from her eyes and she buried her face in the brown locks.

Mary watched her, tears forming in her eyes and she took her girlfriend's hand and pulled her onto her lap softly, burying her face in her neck. "I love you, Zelda. So so much." she whispered and the only answer she got was another sob.

They went to bed that evening hugging each other as if their life depended on it. And technically it did because the brunette could easily not wake up the next morning and Zelda wouldn't even have had the time to say goodbye. 

Changes happened around the house. Zelda smoked less, someone was always home so if Mary needed help, she got it and everyone made sure the mortal woman was eating breakfast, lunch, and dinner.

* * *

The months were painful, in the end, she couldn't even walk and even with Zelda insisting that she’d go to the hospital, she refused. "When I die, I will die in this house. Nowhere else you can't make me, Zelda." she insisted over and over again, her attempt to sound sternly lessened each time and it broke Zelda's heart.

The redhead started to think about their relationship. Moments shared together and it made her tear up every time. Sometimes, when Mary was too weak, she would talk to her about them. "Do you remember when we went to Paris? You were so excited you wouldn't sleep the night before. I had to wear you out so much you couldn't even walk." she laughed silently at the memory of Mary shifting with a wince in her seat, a glare thrown towards Zelda who grinned satisfied. "And you wanted to see everything. I showed you where I lived during the 30s and we went to the Eiffeltower. We still got the pictures." At the word pictures, a sob escaped and she pressed a hand to her mouth and squeezed her eyes shut.

Mary weakly squeezed her hand. "Of course I remember. We fucked on the Eiffeltower." she pressed through the pain of talking with a weak smirk and Zelda laughed under tears. "I did, didn't I?" she leaned forward and breathed a kiss on her forehead before resting her head on her hand and leaning next to Mary. "And if I could, I'd do it all over again. I would do one thing differently though. You know what?" she asked, a teasing gleam in her eyes.

Mary shook her head. "Tell me."

"I'd fuck you twice on the Eiffeltower." she whispered into her ear and both started giggling until Mary started coughing. Zelda immediately sat straight and held the tissue for her, softly caressing the slightly damp hair.

  
  


As they got closer to the end, Zelda very rarely left her side. She ate in bed with Mary, did all her paperwork there and only left to shower and change her clothes.

Even her work had become secondary. "What if something happened while I was gone? I have to be here Hilda!" Zelda argued with the tray of food and medicine for Mary. "I can't leave her side for too long." she added before turning to leave and the only response she got was a sigh.

  
  


When it happened it took them all by surprise. It was a Sunday and Zelda was reading to her, had taken up reading to her girlfriend weeks prior, and almost flinched when Mary, curled up into Zelda's side, started coughing hard into her tissue.

She shakily tapped Zelda, motioning her to stop reading and they just sat there in silence, Zelda stroking her hair softly and murmuring over and over again that it was going to be fine. If it was meant for Mary or Zelda, neither knew.

Mary shuffled silently closer and buried her face into the crook of her girlfriend's neck before raising her head slowly. "I-I love you, Zelda. You know that right?" she asked, bringing her arm around herself in an attempt to warm her up.

Zelda at first looked at her confused. "Of course I know that, darling. I love you too." she replied, her arm automatically found its way around the slim shoulders and she pulled her closer.

Mary looked up and she smiled tiredly. "I want you to find happiness again, yeah? Don't hold onto a memory long passed but just...don't forget me, will you?" she asked, tears were forming in her eyes and then it clicked in Zelda's brain and she sent a telepathic message to her sister.  _ It's time. _

She draped their blanket over the shivering form as tears formed in her eyes as well. "I will never forget you, Mary. You showed me how wonderful love can be, how can I forget that?" she whispered, her voice thick with tears and built up fear and pain.

An almost exhausted smile appeared on pale lips. "Don't cry, my love. You've cried enough." she lifted a hand and wiped away the tears. "I'm gonna haunt you if you lose yourself in grief, understood? I won't have that." she whispered and both laughed slightly.

They met for one last, desperate kiss, both pouring in all of their love before Mary settled into alabaster arms which all those years ago she had started to call her home.

  
  


And that's how Hilda found them. Curled up in each other, Zelda crying into brown curls with her arms clutched tightly around the still form. Continues murmurs of  _ I love you _ and  _ Please wake up _ .

But on Mary's lips was a content, sad smile. Because after all these years of thinking she would die alone in her cottage, she died in the arms of the person she truly loved.

**Author's Note:**

> Kudos and comments are as always appreciated. ♡
> 
> (Please Please don't hate me, guys.)


End file.
